POST OFFICE BUSINESS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 December 1939, Page 7

POST OFFICE BUSINESS

LARGE VOLUME OF MAIL. HANDLING THE CHRISTMAS RUSH. Although the oft repeated injunction to post early for Christmas is quite largely heeded there is always much Christmas mail which gets left until nearly the last minute. The rush of mail matter which began at the beginning of this week has increased daily. The peak was reached today and tomorrow will see the postmen staggering under their loads tor the last time before Christmas. When the figures come to be analysed it is expected that the volume of mail handled at the Masterton Post Office this Christmas will prove to have been equal to. if not larger than that in previous Christmas periods. The Post Office, however, knows how to deal with Christmas mails and a very complete organisation borne of long experience ensures that all works smoothly even if feverishly. The staff, in shifts, works to schedule in the receipt and despatch of heavy Christmas mails. Extra hands are employed and overtime is the accepted order of things; but after a hectic week comes the satisfaction of knowing that a good job has been done well. On the Telegraph side, the number of telegrams handled daily, both inward and outward, has increased steadily, and business firms and the public generally are taking full advantage of the very attractive greetings telegram form and envelope which the Department has provided. In this branch also additional staff has been .engaged and extra circuits have been provided. In the Telephone Exchange the toll business is well up to last year's figures and here again the staff and outlets available enable the large volume of business to be handled with a minimum of delay. In the New Year there will be in addition to the ordinary mail, thousands of First Day covers having on them Centennial stamps which will be on sale on January 2.

In the Centennial postage stamp issue. the main idea has been to review New Zealand’s history both prior and subsequent to 1840 —but to lay emphasis on the Centennial period. The Centennial stamps are at present being displayed in the Masterton Post Oll'ice and representing as they do the various phases of New Zealand’s historical and industrial development they have been much admired.